National Republican., 1887-12-09
CONDITION OF THE NAVY
As Shown by the Report Of Secretary
whitney,

the statement that "lt ie Win mucn eaus-
faction that the department is able to report |
upon the occurrences of the past year |
Many difficulties have stood in the way OF |
the creation OF a creditable new navy. Dur
ing the last,year many Of these have been
removed, and IL 1t lie the will OF the country
that we should be possessed OF navy able
to maintain, when required, the honor and
dignity OF the government 1t can now read
ily be created.
"When the last annual report of the de.
partment was made this country lackel
three manufactures necessary to the con
struction and armament OF modern wal
vessel, viz, that Of steel forgings for tht
heavier guns, that Of armor for iron.clm
vessels; and that OF the secondary batteries
(machine and rapld.tire gansl, an essential
portion OF the armament. Now oil three
manufactories are 10 process OF construction
under contracts with the department.
"lt was fatal mistake for this country IT,
he dependent upon any other nation for Its
implements OF war. Aside from oil quss
tions Of national dignity aud pride, such
implements are coutrabsnd In time Of war,
and could not then be procured from
abroad, while the time required to prepare
plant would make II impossible to extern
porize a mandatory for the occasion, aud
| yet, without armor, and without higher
| powdered guns, In the present state OF the
| art 10 respectable contest could be carried
| on, and the country would be Substantially
| defeDseless.
"All of the unarmored vessels authorized
| by Congress are Ia course OF construction.
| aud q table accompanies the report fur
| uishing oil the requisite information in re
| gtId TO thtm, III regard to the - 900 900
for coast and harbor expenses, and OF which
| no dispottlop has been made up to int
| present time, the Secretary, after discuss
II -.N 4 a IL Il
mite gun, says: " To sum up this mater
| The q, pariment deems H. unwise to follow
at present the course Of the European piw.
ers In building unprotected torpedo hoits
| IL recognizes the power OF The dyn Unite
pr i.t,i'e, and belle es It practicable IT,
embJay II in such N minner as to Ia ne ttl'
II will reach any desired object OF attack
10 spite OF known we pons, aud uoon thai
problem It Is engaged" "
| In the last two annual reports of tn, de.
partmeut the necessity for better system
Of habdiipg the stores and supplies and In
making the purchases of the department
has been fully explained. During the las
year new system has been inaugurated.
There will hereafter be accountability fO'
the property anil responsible heM to the
business. ReQuisitions for goods are to b.
made on the paymaster general, who VIII
become responsible for the purchases beIog
honestly made and teep the accounts.
In regard to the single turreted monitors,
the Secretary thinks that they were good
vessels for their time, but are now obsolete.
The pneumatic gun, the Secretary says.
has been developed by private enterprise to
the poiDt where II merits immediate atten
tiop. The constant strife for mastery be-
tween the Offensive and the defensive im.
plements OF war results periodically In new
devices, changing entirely existing condl
tiops. The improvements In armor aud 10
the range and power of guns may be said to
have kept pace each with the other. But as
the weak point Of an ironclad is 10 its un-
protected bottom, invention has b'en
directed to torpedoes and torpedo boats,
and these have been al cost a mania with
European powers during the last five years.
Meanwhile the development OF the ma
chine gun and the introduction Of steel net
tiDgs as q protection against the approach
OF the torpedo boat or the torpedo have
limited SO greatly the range OF usefulness
OF the torpedo boat as to have caused con-
siderable distrust OF its availability as q
weapon. The principal difficulty is that its
range Of torpedo fire is so short that II Is
Obliged to approach within few hundred
feet Of the object OF attack, which subjects
1t to destruction by machine guns.
The pneumatic dynamite gun attacks the
problem by new method. The company
has demonstrated that by the use Of pueu-
matte power projectiles containing large
quantities Of high explosives can be fired
with safety and considerable accu acy
distance Of between one and two miles.
Whatever destruction torpedo can do
this projectie can do II accurately placed
Against its method Of attack neither nete
nor machine guns are OF any considerable
| use. IL can be fired at such distance as
to be beyond the effective range OF ma
chine guns ard the line OF flight OF its pro
jectile escapes nets There are questl ms
yet to be settled before Its efficiency for
4 f..Il "a. II
This invention. like every other, has Its
own peculiar problems to solve, but the
zeal and intelligence thus far given to the
development promise ultimate success.
On the question OF the naval reserve the
report says; "The policy OF this country has
always been opposed to the establishment
OF large permanent naval and military or
garizatlons. This policy for country
with great coast line and important com
mercial interests almost necessitates thr
maintenance OF auxillaries In the way OF
military reserves. The land forces have
such auxiliaries in the shape OF state mill
tia or national guards. These constitut,
large bodies OF troops, well organized and
equipped, thoroughly well trained aud dis
ciplined, ready to take the field and becomt
part Of regular military establishment
when required.
"a public feeling seems to exist for the
creation OF naval reserve.
, | 'COInUlJteeS Oh tne COafnUeT OI COtnmeTCt
Of New York and San Francisco have passed
resolutions urging the organization Of such
force as means OF providing for the
coast defense and meeting the increased de-
msnds of the regular naval establishment
for men and vessels upon the outbreak OF
war. Inquiries have also been made at the
department from cities of the great lakes,
and meetings have been held In cities OF the
south indorslng the formation Of such q
| national OruanfZatiOn,
"1he department has Informed Itself fully
OF the different systems OF organization for
. coast defense and naval reserves at present
in force,ip.foreign countries, and Is prepared
to formulate general plan for similar
organization to meet the requirements and
conditions Of our own institutions. 1t
should resemble In organization that of the
militia or National Guard, rest upon the
foundation Of local interest, contemplate
the employment and rapid mobilization OF
steamers enrolled on an auxiliary navy
list, ard be calculated to produce the best
results upon comparatively small national
expenditure. l ask for this question the
earnest consideration OF Congress"
The Secretary, proceeding, gives an &C
: count OF the sales Of condemned vessels and
other property,and then reviews the reports
OF his bureau officers, which have been pub
llshed.
Reduced prices in mems clothing Else